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The Cardinals have named their captains for the season, and they really come as no surprise: On defense, it is cornerback Patrick Peterson and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett. On offense, it is quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. And on special teams, it is linebacker Lorenzo Alexander and kicker Jay Feely. Center Lyle Sendlein isn’t a captain for the first time in a couple of years, but I’m sure he doesn’t mind. There had been a void since there really hadn’t been a quarterback to step into that role. Palmer is definitely that guy. The choices were made through a player vote.

– Tackle Nate Potter will start playing guard as well in practice. It’s something Bruce Arians has long hinted at, but Potter is just now starting out. The more you can do …

– Tight end Rob Housler remains day-to-day with his bad ankle. He’s getting better, Arians said, but the coach added the Cards do not want this to be a lingering problem and would rather have him miss time now and knock it out than deal with it long-term. We’ll see whether Housler does anything at practice today. Otherwise, the Cards are healthy.

– Arians had his line of the day, when asked if patience was needed when judging this team out of the gate. “No,” Arians said. “I have no patience.”

– The Cardinals are just getting out to practice now (media availability this season will be before practice on Wednesdays.) More bubble work today.

The Key to a winning season is our blocking downfield by the receivers. We have explosive running backs, especially Mendenhall. If our receivers can hold their blocks downfield, our backs will go the distance.

“we will finish 2 – 14 this year . because we don/t have the coaching staff or the players to have a good season.”

Louis, this is urgent ! ! !

your computer has a severe glitch that needs immediate attention. Apparently it re-routed you to the Dallas Cowboys website for the coaching staff and player rosters. Better get your computer fixed quickly.

Darnell Dockett as a captain….really??? I thought a captain was supposed to set an example & not take plays off…..That sure isn’t Darnell Dockett! I guess it turned into a popularity contest instead of looking for a true leader…not a good sign. It should’ve been Campbell who works hard on the field & is productive without running his mouth. Dockett earned the Cards the nickname as the all airport team… smh

Remedial Reminder: Last season, Dockett’s role and primary responsibility was to ENGAGE multiple offensive linemen to FREE up opportunities for the linebackers to make plays. Dockett did not like it, but did his duty as assigned to him. And the clueless thought he took the season off. Go figure that after Urban and many others kept clarifying the defensive philosophy of last year’s defense.

This year, Dockett and Campbell are being given the green light to do all the damage they can. And Dockett is chomping at the bit to damage offenses like he use to.

BTW, it is a real insult to Card players when simpleton fans accuse the players of voting Dockett as a team captain because he is popular. The players know best who the real dominating players are on the roster. That is why they voted Dockett to be a captain.

@ truths4all, it’s obvious you’ve never been in a locker room, besides washing towels or playing ball one on one by yourself!

As politics is definitely involved with picking captains boy genius, as a matter of fact, in weak locker rooms it sometimes turns into nothing but a popularity contest when there’s no real front runner for capt. (not saying this is one of those). I think everyone understands what Horton’s scheme was last year, but where was Dockett in preseason, can you answer that genius? He had plenty of time to rest & yet he still never sniffed the QB nor made very many tackles. BTW, Dockett has a rep among NFL pundits for taking plays off. Sapp & the rest of NFL Network named the Cards defense the all airport team for all the talking Dockett did, with little on field production….So maybe Warren Sapp is an idiot too, & you’re the genius….smh….Another thing captain simpleton, Campbell was asked to the same thing as Dockett in Horton’s scheme, did he disappear like Dockett….Umm no! Now go take some Adderall before you write your next reminder for us boy genius.

Forget last year…it’s a new season and opportunity for a fresh start. One would think that anybody serious about being a respected starter would present themselves with energy and enthusiasm to get out there and tear it.The Darnell Dockett of today hasn’t set the world on fire in preseason or made any attempt at showing the fans that he still has it. He has seemed complacent with attitude, and hasn’t shown leadership on the field. Our defense isn’t what it was last year and we desperately need defensive leaders who are going to be energic role models for our new players, Fitz and Peterson are definitely leaders and great role models and should be Captains. Palmer and Alexander haven’t been Cardinals long enough to know really what’s what and so I would would probably assume BA strongly suggested them as candidates. Sandelin and Campbell would have made more sense to me but ya have to just love all the drama…kinda like high school!

Wouldn’t you say as a 3-4 DE, Campbell had the same job of playing the 5 technique as Dockett?
So why has Campbells stats over the last 3 years double those of Docketts? yes doubled!!

In fact, on passing downs, Dockett and Campbell played inside and rushed the passer in a 4 man line. Yet Dockett had 1.5 sacks. Thats it.

Meanwhile Campbell in the same defense had 6.5 sacks and you have guys like JJ Watt putting up 20 in a 3-4 defense. Same position.

I hope Dockett does well but lets not get carried away. He is overrated, overpaid and over 32. Since he has never in any defense had double digit sacks, I am lost why fans think he is somehow going to do something he has never done.
Watt is dominate, Geno Atkins is dominate, dockett is another player who needs to play the run better.
Mark my word, this is dockett last year as a card.

Ya Sean stop being a know it all! haha Just kidding…He may not know what’s going on in the locker room, but his point is well taken as Campbell & Dockett were in the same scheme & asked to execute the same assignment & Campbell well out played/worked him.
Here are the #’s Calais: COMB: 63 TOTAL: 50 AST: 13 SACK: 6.5
Dockett: COMB: 34 TOTAL: 23 AST: 11 SACK: 1.5
For giggles I’ll even add Justin Smith’s stats in here since he’s older than Dockett & is asked to play the same scheme. COMB: 66 TOTAL: 47 AST: 19 SACK: 3.0

All these stats are from the 2012 season. Bottom line, the stats alone make the case for Campbell to be the other Capt. He puts his head down, works hard & doesn’t try to bring attention to himself as his work ethic & stats speak for themselves. Unlike Dockett who talks the most, does the most foolish antics off the field & is worrying about wearing the cool face mask, gets to be captain. Sounds like high school. ESPN has all the #’s http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/11284/calais-campbell BTW, we all know that the #’s aren’t everything, but perception is reality & just what we see on TV, I’d definitely go with Calais…..GO CARDS!!!!

@sean, others: As cited by others Dockett didn’t take last year off, he was schemed to hold a gap, not giving him the freedom to make a ton of plays. Also, if you know anything about DD90 it is that when he does well it is 90% drive 10% skill, meaning he beats people through effort and not quitting, not being physically better of more athletic. I am not surprised at all then that he had a quiet preseason, when there are quotes on the site saying he “just wants to get out without an injury”. Let’s all agree to give DD90 a few weeks and then critique his play, deal?

Sorry patrick my loyalty is with the saints, even through the paper bag years….
Im from louisiana, but I will be pulling for and following the cards….
You guys have 5 or 6 Lsu players on the current roster… ” a few of which I wish were still wearing purple and gold on saturday instead of red and white on sunday ”
IMO ur defense will be improving drastically

First, please let us not forget why Dockett got paid. From 2007-2010 he registered 25 sacks, made 3 pro bowls (including all pro in 2009) not to mention his Super Bowl record 3 sack performance in 2008. We can say he is overpaid now but he earned that money. I agree that he hasn’t played to the level of his contract the past two seasons, but JTDG, it isn’t fair to compare him to Atkins a 4-3 tackle and Watt who plays in a 3-4 but a scheme much different from the Steeler/Horton 3-4. The last game I remember Dockett being dominate was the Philly game last year and while he didn’t have a huge statistical game he was in the back field all game long. I haven’t seen the consistent domination or anything in this pre-season to show the Dockett can still be the 2007-2010 Dockett, but I’m going to give him the season to show us that he is still a playmaker. If he doesn’t then I would have to agree with JTDG that this would be his last year with the Cards….I’m rooting for him to prove us all wrong.

simpleton fans and boy geniuses,that leaves a whole lot of room in the middle for the rest of us,lol,but we need our extremes also.

much props for CC,he does a yoeman job and improves every year,still respect DD,and now with dansbury back ,there are so many story lines.note,BA’s opinion of our lockerroom,remember last season they still stayed a team even with the terrible offensive production,big props there.now,if they just gel,defensive players saying how much potential they have,offensive players raving about the possibilities,has the makings of a very special team.

I know Adkins is in a 4-3. Point is, Watt and Adkins are what dominance looks like.
Something many card fans are confused about.
To use Dockett and say he is going to wreck havoc on offenses is a joke. I see him as a liability against the run and he hasn’t shown much of a pass rush.

Again, he played the same 3-4 de spot as CC without the results. Even his probowl seasons in a hybrid 4-3, he never got double digit sacks. Guys like Corey Legit and Antonio Smith are out playing him.

I think I soured on DD watching his play last year and his failure to hold up against the run. Then, when turned loose, he generated no pass rush.
So, if that is what we got, lets get someone who can play the two gap 3-4 end spot and let the LBs make the plays.

Then I hear he wants to buy a monkey and put it on the sideline, he has his new facemask, the coach is going to get him going again in the new scheme.

I am so tired of the hype. Just get out and play. It reminds me of the old eagle wr who never did much of anything but had the championship belt (before rodgers) and would do the motion everytime he caught anything. Enough already.

Haha, I’m not saying that Dockett is dominate now, but he was a dominate player in that 4 year span. Yes, he never got double digit sacks, but if you remember back to those years he was a disruptive penetrating force. For example: Did you know that Dockett led the Cards with 23.5 hurries and 16 QB hits in 2011? Stats are cool and they can help to illustrate a point, but they don’t always tell the whole story.

23 quarterback hurries huh? So what you are saying is he was a step slow that year or they would be sacks . :)

It is not that I dont like Dockett, it is that I like a 3-4 defense. I dont think Dockett fits in a 3-4 and I would not switch my defense to benefit a 32 yr old DT on the decline.

Also, from the monkey to the hype about the new defense has really been too much.

I like big physical Dlineman who keep LBs clean and dont complain. I like lineman who understand why you would let a runningback score so you have a chance to come back and win. I think I would prefer a change next year.

Yes, had he been a step or two quicker he would’ve demolished the sack record!

I understand your point about Dockett not being optimal as a 3-4 DE, and it’s a fair point. I will anxiously watch this game Sunday to see if our defense can back up all the talk this off season. After getting swept by the Rams last year and the abysmal season overall I would love to see us open the season with a bang….something to tune of 30-13.

I wouldnt. He has averaged 5 sacks and 46 tackles a year for the last 3 years. Very impressive for the role he plays of taking on blocks so Ray can be the star.
But those aren’t earth shattering stats.
Thus, stats not telling the whole story of how good he really is.